Rest for folding vehicle-tops.



No. 655,679. I Patented Aug. I4, I900. W. Y. ARMSTRONG.

BEST FOR FOLDING VEHICLE TOPS.

(Application filed Apr. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

. Mi'o hella'wn 154272563117 2 51270 l lflll Q I I v I I I n 1 PETER! 00.. FKOTO-UTHO" WASHINGTON n c WILLIAM Y. ARMSTRONG, OF I'IUTOHINSON, KANSAS.

REST FOR FOLDING VEHICLE-TOPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 655,679, dated August 14:, 1900.

Application filedApril 24,1900.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM Y. ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hutchinson, in the county of Reno and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rests for Folding Vehicle-Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to means for taking up the jar and shock incident to the lowering of a vehicle-top of the variety commonly applied tobuggies, whereby the bending and breaking of bow-sockets, rivets, and the spindle on the shifting seat-rail are prevented and the twisting of the entire frame of the top avoided.

The device is constructed with a view to durability and the attainment of the ends aforesaid, so as to prolong the life of the folding top.

The improvement consists, essentially, of the novel features, details of construction, and combinations of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated, and finally claimed. 7

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a buggy-top, showing the position and application of the rest. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rest. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 5 is a detail viewin perspective of a capplate for the impact-block.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The rest comprises, essentially, an impactblock 1 and a socket 2. The impact-block has a centrally-disposed shank 3 to loosely fit within the socket 2 and is slotted, as shown at 4, to receive the shifting seat-rail 5 or equivalent part upon which the restis mounted when in position. The impact-block is pressed outward from the socket by springpressure derived from one or more springs 6, located within the socket and housed thereby. The number of springs will depend in a great measure upon the load and shock to be sustained by the rest. For light tops a serial No. 14,128. (No model.)

single spring will be sufficient; but for heavy tops two or more springs may be found necessary. The impact-block is of oblong form, and its top side is convex in cross-section and is provided at its longitudinal edges with flanges 7, depressed centrally, so as to provide ample clearance for the bow received upon the rest. The impact-block is preferably constructed of metal, and its top or convex side is protected by covering 8, of leather, rubber, or other fibrous material, to assist in reducing the shock and to avoid the noise incident to the striking of metallic surfaces. This covering 8 constitutes a padding and is thick or heavy at the center and tapering in thickness toward each edge, which are fitted into the spaces formed between the flanges 7 and the convex portion of the block. Longitudinal displacement of the covering 8 is prevented and the ends concealed by capplates 9, secured to the ends of the impactblock 1 and having their rims 10 adapted to overlap the end portions of the .parts 1 and 8. These cap-plates serve to hold the covering 8 in place and to give a finished appearance to the impact-block and are preferably secured in place by screws 11 or like fastenings which will admit of the ready dis placement of the cap-plates when it is required to replace the covering 8 or for any desired purpose.

The socket 2 is of a size to receive the shank 3 and the springs 6 and is closed at its bottom and sides, its top being open to receive the shank 3 and admit of the latter moving ,freely therein. Collars 12 project from opposite sides of the socket and are located at the upper ends thereof and aline with the slot 4, so as to receive the rail 5 or equivalent supporting-bar. These collars 12 provide an extended bearing for the socket upon the part 5, and the combined length of the socket and collars equals the length of the impact-block 1, which isof advantage, as will presently appear. The socket 2, with the collars 12, is a single casting and may be of any external appearance, according to the design of the rest.

The shifting seat-rail 5 or bar forming a support for the rest passes through the collars l2 and slot 4 and holds the impact-block within the socket and limits the outward movement of the impact-block under the action of the springs 6. Washers 13 are placed upon the rail 5, upon each side of the socket, and are held in place by any means, clampscrews 14 being shown and fitted into openings of central bosses of the said washers and adapted to be turned so as to have their inner ends bear against the part 5. By this means the Washers can be shifted so as to properly position the rest upon the rail'5 to receive the lowermost bow when holding the top 15. The Washers are of such diametrical extent as to embrace the ends of the impactblock 1 and assist in preventing binding of the shank and the socket when the impactblock is projected to the limit of its outward movement.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is 1. In a rest for vehicle-tops and in combination with a supporting rail or bar, a socket mounted upon said rail, an impact-block movably mounted with reference to the socket, and washers secured to the aforesaid rail and adapted to embrace opposite portions of the socket and impact-block and adapted to direct the latter in its movements, substantially as set forth.

2. In a rest for folding vehicle-tops and in combination with a socket, an impact-block movably mounted with reference to the socket and having its top side convex and provided at its edges with longitudinal flanges and a covering applied to the convex side of the impact-block and having its edge portions fitted into the spaces formed between the said flanges and the convex portion of the impactblock, substantially as described.

3. In a rest for folding vehicle-tops, a socket, an impact-block movably mounted with reference to the socket and having a convex portion and longitudinal flanges, a covering applied to the convex portion of the impactblock and having its edges confined by the aforesaid flanges, and cap-plates secured to the ends of the impact-block and having their rims encircling the end portions of the covering and impact-block, substantially as set forth.

4. A rest for folding vehicle-tops, comprising a socket having offstanding collars at the upper ends of opposite sides, an impact-block having a slotted shank loosely fitted in the said socket, a spring located in the socket and exerting an outward pressure against the inner end of the said shank, a bar passing through the slot of the shank and the aforementioned collars, a covering applied to the top side of the impact-block and cap-plates secured to the ends of said block and encircling the latter and the end portions of the covering, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 7

WILLIAM Y. ARMSTRONG. [L.s.] Witnesses:

E. HUTTON, J. S. MAY. 

